PR case study: Three secrets to savvy media relations from one of our businesses

Who better to give advice about media relations than a JournoLink business itself. Introducing Onedox – a free, secure service that enables you to take control of your household bills. One of its founders, David Sheridan, took the time to talk with us about his experiences and how Onedox grew “from no visibility to thousands of customers” after its launch in October 2015. Here are three important points that Onedox can teach you about having a savvy approach when interacting with the media:

1 - Do your research

First of all, make sure to do your research. David pointed out that Onedox’s main interaction with the media is through sending out press releases. In order to write a relevant and high quality press release they have to do some research to find out what else is happening in the media world. This is especially relevant when researching similar services to one’s own in the market. By doing your research you can create new and relevant content – which will position you as the leader in your sector within the media.

When writing a press release, it can be very efficient as well to use statistics. find out why in our blog on the topic.

2 - Use your time productively – be targeted

Do not waste your time trying to be accessible to everyone with a broad or vague message – be succinct and targeted. David pointed out that especially on social media a blanket approach is not effective. Instead of pitching to journalists on social media, use it as a platform to build relationships both with them and with your customers. More importantly, use your time productively and focus your efforts on who and what is relevant to your business, whether this is a specific sector or location. Once you have done your research and are familiar with the scene and your competition, you can create specific content and target relevant journalists and media outlets in a more effective way.

3 - Look beyond coverage

Do not let coverage be your ultimate goal – build relationships. While it may be exciting to be featured in a glossy magazine or a national newspaper David points out that “coverage only lasts for a day.” Coverage is good for your business and will hopefully increase numbers of customers and sales – however, its positive impact may be temporary. Instead of setting coverage as your final goal and measuring your success by the amount of coverage you receive, treat it as a helping hand along the way to developing and growing your business. While Onedox has used the JournoLink platform to receive coverage, David says JournoLink has been most useful in building relationships and creating partnerships with other businesses. Use the resources available to you in order to receive coverage and build relationships to grow your business.

Doing your media research, being targeted and building on top of coverage by focusing on creating partnerships are ways Onedox has developed their own media presence. These are the tips they recommend to you, as a small business, to become savvier with your media interaction.

Written By: Yasmin Hoover, Media Relations Executive

Yasmin contributes to the runnings of JournoLink in many ways; from events and the distribution of press releases to networking. An important part of the team, she continues to help us connect businesses with the media.